Abstract PI: ROBERTSON, ANDREW D Project: 1R13AI091178-01 Title: Immunological Mechanisms of Vaccination Accession Number: 3255962 ================== NOTICE: THIS ABSTRACT WAS EXTRACTED FROM APPLICATION AND HAS NOT BEEN PROOFED BY AN SRA.WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH THE APPLICATION SCANNING PROCESS, THE EXTRACTED TEXT MAY BE INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE. ================== This proposal requests support for a Keystone Symposia meeting entitled Immunological Mechanisms of Vaccination, organized by Bali Pulendran, Rino Rappuoli and Bruce Beutler, which will be held in Seattle, WA in late-October, 2010. Vaccines have been described as one of the most cost effective public health tools in history. Despite their success, most vaccines have been made empirically, and we understand little about the mechanisms by which they stimulate protective immunity. Understanding the immunology of vaccines and infections is of paramount importance in the rational design of future vaccines against pandemics such as HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, and against emerging infections such as swine influenza and dengue. Recent advances in immunology, human genetics, and systems biology are beginning to offer a deeper understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of host immunity, and the pivotal role played by the innate immune system in shaping the adaptive immune response. Such insights are enhancing our understanding of the correlates of protective immunities, the early innate immune signatures of vaccine efficacy, the genetics of host responses to vaccines, and are guiding the rational design of novel and safer vaccines and adjuvants. This meeting will bring together an interdisciplinary group of scientists in immunology, vaccinology, human genetics, and systems biology to address critical advances in these fields and their implications for vaccinology. This eclectic group from academia, industry and government will discuss: The importance of the innate immune system in sensing vaccines and shaping the vaccine immunity Modulating immune memory to vaccines with innate immunity The impact of the host genes and the microbiome on immunity to vaccines Immunological deconstruction of the mode of action of successful vaccines, vectors adjuvants Constructing new vaccines and adjuvants with innate immunity Application of systems biology to predict vaccine efficacy, and identify biomarkers of infections The Keystone Symposia meeting on The Immunological Mechanisms of Vaccination promises to be the largest, most important meeting on the immunology of vaccination, and will benefit from a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), whereby the 2010 business meeting of the BMGF Grand Challenges in Global Health awardees will be held in conjunction with the Keystone Symposia meeting. Vaccines have been described as one of the most cost effective public health tools in history. The Keystone Symposia meeting on The Immunological Mechanisms of Vaccination will gather an interdisciplinary group of scientists to discuss vaccine applications for a myriad of infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases. The overarching aim will be to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion and collaboration and catalyze the rational design of vaccines against global pandemics and emerging infections. The science discussed here has the potential to seed the generation of the next cohort of vaccines and therapeutics against infections.